Cloud was nervous, it was obvious. But he still went to work that next day. Snow seemed to be on the phone all day with his wife Serah. When he finally came into the shop and looked to Cloud he knelt down and began to work with him on part of a motorcycle.

"What was that about?" asked Cloud.

"Serah's in labor." said Snow.

Cloud looked at him like he was insane. "Then why are you here?" he asked.

"Because without today's work money there's no way I could afford a crib." he said.

Cloud shook his head. "Any idea on names for the kid?" he asked.

"I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet, Serah just got to the hospital with Vincent." said Snow.

"Well do you have any ideas for names for boy or girl?" he asked.

Snow shook his head. "We weren't even planning when she got pregnant, not that I mind. Just gotta be the big man around, I'm gonna be a daddy." he gloated.

Cloud laughed a little and shook his head, they of course fixed the parts on the bike for a while, Snow noticed Cloud seemed to be happier that day.

"So what's new with you?" he asked him.

Cloud blushed. "Is it really that obvious?" he asked.

"Totally man, it's all over your face." said Snow.

"I met a girl." he said shyly.

"Really!? What's her name?" he asked with a grin.

"Her name is Aerith." said Cloud.

"She pretty?" asked Snow.

Cloud blushed more and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah she's gorgeous, especially her eyes." he said.

Snow smirked. "Alright, hope things go well with her." he said.

Cloud nodded and the day moved slowly but finally they were let off of work. Snow closed the shop and went to the hospital, Squall went with him and looked to Cloud before he left. "I'll call you about the gender and name." he said.

Cloud nodded and went to the flower shop from the day before, he saw Aerith standing there, she smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile at her. Her hair was down and she was wearing a red dress, same boots, and bangles of course, but this dress was more fancy for their date.

"You dressed up?" he asked her curiously.

She giggled. "You like it?" she asked.

"It looks great on you." he said with a smile.

She took his hand in her own and smiled at him. He was mesmerized by those eyes, but who wouldn't be? Those green eyes could steal his soul and he wouldn't fight for it.

"I was thinking a peer walk, they have all sorts of restaurants and shops, we could walk around, order food, and well you know." he said nervously.

She nodded and he drove them to the peer, once there he parked and held her hand nervously. She followed him of course, he ordered her a few things at the restaurants, both trying all sorts of foods, she of course teased him about not liking shrimp as she put one to his lips and he frowned.

"I love flowers, I love growing them, and selling them." she said with a smile.

She then thought. "What do you do?" she asked.

"I work in a motorcycle shop with my room mate Squall and boss Snow." he said.

"Wow really? Well no wonder you drive a bike, I really liked riding on it with you." she said.

"You like riding? Most girls get scared." he asked.

"What's there to be scared of? I trust you." she said with a smile.

Cloud smiled back at her, he then finished his sandwich and they went into one of the shops around, she looked around and found a small flower pin, she put it into Cloud's hair and he groaned, she giggled.

"It looks cute." she said.

Cloud smiled at her, he couldn't be mad about having a flower in his hair around her. He took the pin out and slowly put it into her hair, she looked amazing with it. She of course smiled and he wanted to kiss her right there, he couldn't help it. She took the pin out and looked at it.

"It's a little expensive..." she said reluctantly.

Cloud shook his head and bought it anyway for her. "Come on now, this is a date, I don't mind buying you a pretty pin." he said.

She smiled and took the bag with the pin, he took her hand in his and they left the peer, it had been two hours but it was still early and he drove them to the beach, there they walked along the beach, hand in hand with no shoes on.

"It's beautiful." she said looking up at the full moon.

He looked at her and looked back at the moon. "Yeah it is." he said.

They sat down on the beach looking out at the waved with the full moon above them.

"So mind if I ask you questions now?" she asked.

Cloud looked back at her. "No why would I mind?" he asked.

She looked out at the ocean. "Well how long have you lived in New York?" she asked.

Cloud thought about it. "About a year now." he said.

"Really just a year?" she asked.

Cloud nodded. "I was in the military before that." he said.

She nodded. "Just like him..." she said.

"Who?" he asked.

"An old boyfriend of mine." she said.

"Were you two serious?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No but I liked him for a while." she said.

Cloud nodded. "Well a friend of mine got killed over there, and I was kinda a mess after it...wound up in a mental institute for a year." he said.

She frowned and put a hand on his shoulder. "That must've been hard." she said.

Cloud nodded and looked to her. "Have you always lived in New York, especially the slums?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah I've lived here all my life, in the slums especially. I'm alone...now. I live alone." she said.

He looked at her curiously. "No parents?" he asked.

"My father I never met, but he was a scientist and not married to my mother. She died when I was very young and I was adopted by a nice woman named Elmyra. But she died last year." said Aerith with a sigh.

Cloud put a hand on her shoulder as she began to cry a little. "I'm...all alone now. But I try to be strong." she said.

Cloud pulled her close and looked up at the moon. "I wasn't...expecting things to get so heavy on the first date." he said.

She shook her head and wiped her eyes. "Sorry." she said.

Cloud looked at her and smiled a little. "It's ok, I'm glad kinda, I feel like I can be myself with you." he said.

She smiled at him and nodded. "You know, military scouts used to come to my house." she said.

"Really why?" he asked confused. "I don't know, maybe they thought I was possible military material." she said.

He smirked a little. "That or your dad was involved in something with them, they follow through on family ties." he said.

She shrugged. "I don't know, they don't bug me now." she said.

Cloud nodded. "That's good." he said putting an arm around her protectively.

She leaned against his chest and he looked down at her. "Hey Aerith?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "What is it Cloud?" she asked.

He blushed a little. "Um...well can I...kiss you?" he asked.

She giggled. "Of course you can." she said.

Cloud nodded and looked at her, he leaned in slowly and they both closed their eyes as their lips met. Sparks, fireworks, those were the words to describe it. Their kiss was electric, and he of course pulled away after a minute blushing like a moron. She smiled at him and took his hand in hers.

"Cloud?" she said.

He looked at her. "Yeah?" he asked.

"You don't have to be nervous with me." she said.

He sighed. "Well you see...this is my first date with a girl...ever." he said.

She giggled. "Really?" she asked.

He nodded. "And your first kiss?" she asked leaning in and looking at him slyly. He of course looked away covering his face with his hand, she just took his hand away with her hand and looked him in those blue eyes with her own eyes. He couldn't help but get lost in her gaze for a moment before he pulled her closely to him and just hugged her, she hugged him back surprised but happy.

"You know this feels right." he said.

She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. Soon it was getting late and he drove her back to her apartment, she stepped inside but turned back and leaned in kissing his cheek, he gave her his number for home, work, and cell.

"So um...are we official?" he asked.

She giggled. "Yep." she said.

Cloud nodded an affirmative nod, and he left, getting on his bike he headed back to the apartment. When he got there Squall was the only one there.

"Hey there, how did it go?" he asked.

"Well...um...amazing. I have a girlfriend now." said Cloud rubbing the back of his head a little.

Squall smiled a little and pat his back. "Good, did you get Snow's message?" he asked.

Cloud grabbed his cell phone and opened it. "T-Twins!?" he exclaimed.

"Yep, looks like Serah won't be back working as a 3rd grade teacher for a while." he said.

"Wow, both girls huh?" asked Cloud.

"Yes and both being put on some extra care since they were a little tiny." he said.

Cloud nodded. "Is Lightning coming to see them?" he asked.

"She's on her way from San Francisco as we speak, the plane should land tomorrow." said Squall.

"It'll be nice seeing her again." said Cloud.

Squall nodded. "Yeah while Serah recovers in the hospital, and Snow works, Lightning will be watching their apartment and baby proofing it, I suppose we'll be called in to help." said Squall.

"Yes but knowing Lightning she'll make it interesting." said Cloud.

Squall nodded. 'I wonder if my father will be calling me tomorrow for anything, he hasn't called in a while.' thought Squall to himself.

Cloud went inside and got a text on his cell phone, it was Aerith, there she was a picture of her with the flower pin in her hair smiling for him in a white night gown. He blushed, she was so gorgeous, he immediately set the picture as his back ground picture.

"How was the bar?" asked Cloud.

"Fine, Rinoa's asleep already, Tifa said to tell you she said hi." said Squall.

Cloud nodded and then turned looking to Squall.

"You wanna see her?" he asked.

Squall smirked and nodded, Cloud opened his phone and showed Squall the picture of Aerith.

"She's...wow you sure she's not a model with such a unique face?" he asked astonished.

Cloud shook his head. "No she's a flower girl." he said.

"I could see that by the hanging plant in the back ground, well congrats." he said.

Cloud nodded and Squall went to his room, he saw Rinoa sleeping there and sighed. 'She always looks so beautiful and peaceful, I wonder what her life would have been like if she hadn't met me...would she be happier?' he thought to himself.

She stirred a little and looked up at him. "Hey." she said tiredly.

He smiled and laid down next to her. "Hey, how're you doing?" he asked.

She smiled and laid her head on his chest. "Good now that you're here." she said.

Squall rubbed her back and sighed. "You're too good for me." he said.

She shook her head. "No I think we're perfect together, it always has been this way. I have my past a well." she said.

Squall nodded and looked at her with a soft gaze. "It's ok, no one's ever going to do that to you again." he said holding her closely.

Rinoa sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, she could remember it all so clearly. Before they'd met her father had ruled over her life after her mother's death of an illness. Her father was abusive emotionally and tried to control everything she did. But finally she broke away from him when she met Squall. However some bad rumors were spread due to something happening with Edea, Squall's former foster mother. Edea had been performing rituals it seemed in her basement, when she was caught she blamed a woman named 'Ultimecia' who happened to be a local older woman who owned a shop that sold spiritual things. Alas Edea had done some illegal rituals and it was said she cursed Rinoa to follow in her path.

Rinoa hadn't done any such things, but the rumors were vicious and she was sure Squall would believe them. But he hadn't instead, he had come to her and said those words.

"I only believe what you tell me about yourself, they don't know you." he had said it simply, like it was a fact, like he knew he could trust her.

Rinoa trusted him, she put her faith in him, when they'd moved she'd made new friends with Snow, Serah, Tifa, and Cloud. Along with her boyfriend Squall, things were now perfect. Squall looked at her and smiled.

"Cloud has a girlfriend." he said.

Rinoa looked up at him shocked but she smiled. "Good, I hope we get to meet her soon." she said.

Squall nodded and soon they fell asleep in each other's arms.

-Meanwhile with Snow-

Snow sat down next to Serah his wife who was asleep after giving birth to the twins naturally. She was ok they said, that she just needed time to heal and recover, luckily he had insurance for her or else they couldn't have done this at all. As it was they were barely keeping up with their bills, he wasn't sure how they'd be able to handle the twins if it weren't for Claire's help.

"How is she?" asked a voice before she walked in.

He looked up and smiled. "Light." he said.

She walked over. "She looks alright." said Lightning before she sat down next to Snow.

"They said she'd be fine." said Snow.

"Good, how're the babies?" asked Lightning.

"Getting some extra care since they both came out rather small, both are healthy baby girls otherwise though." he said.

"That's good, any ideas for names?" asked Lightning.

"Not yet, they said it would be a month before we can take them home to be sure they're perfectly healthy." said Snow.

"Well I can try and help." said Lightning.

Snow looked to her. "Thanks Claire." he said.

She smirked and punched his arm. "Don't call me that in public, ok?" she said.

Snow nodded. "I just hope Serah will be ok." he said.

"You two have been married for three years now, you have survived worse." she said.

Snow nodded. "We have." he said.

Lightning smirked and yawned. "Jet lagged myself but had to see her." she said.

Snow nodded and grabbed a blanket putting it over Lightning, she soon fell asleep in her chair before he fell asleep in his.

-Meanwhile with Cloud-

Cloud looked at his phone screen, he was laying on his bed and he smiled a little, he had a girlfriend...that would take some getting used to. He soon closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.